TPP今日将正式签字Trans-Pacific trade accord nations search for new members

来源：FT中文网 2018-03-08 06:50

Leaders of the 11-strong Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal are on the hunt for new members as they prepare for a formal signing ceremony in Chile today that will illustrate how the world is moving on without the US.

Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and even the UK are all regarded as possible additions to a pact that lays down strong rules for trade in the most dynamic region of the world economy.

台湾、泰国、韩国、菲律宾、斯里兰卡甚至英国都被视为这一贸易协定的潜在新成员，该协定为全球最具经济活力地区的贸易制定了强有力的规则。

The drive to expand the TPP shows how a deal abandoned by Donald Trump in one of his first acts as US president has gained fresh momentum as a vehicle for free trade in Asia.

“Once TPP becomes effective then we can start discussions on accession,” said Kazuyoshi Umemoto, Japan’s chief TPP negotiator. “TPP is aimed at an open, rule-based, multilateral, liberal trade system, so if any country is interested and willing to abide by the rules then we can talk about accession.”

The TPP was originally envisaged as a vast regional trading agreement underpinning US geopolitical strategy in Asia under President Barack Obama. Following the US withdrawal, the remaining members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

With the US no longer taking part, negotiators have suspended intellectual property provisions that favoured US technology and pharmaceutical companies. Trade ministers will meet in Santiago today to formalise the deal after resolving Canadian qualms.

The TPP will enter into force after ratification by six of the eleven members. But in a sign of their enthusiasm, trade officials in the member countries are already talking about the possibility of expansion. Some TPP members remain cautious about the prospects for enlarging the trade bloc. “My focus is on concluding the agreement between the 11 of us,” Steven Ciobo, the Australian trade minister, said. “We each have our domestic ratification process we have to work through. I am a big believer that you don’t count your chickens until they hatch so let’s just bed down this agreement as it is now.”

Taiwan is one of the most enthusiastic potential members but officials in Taipei say the island’s complicated international status has been an obstacle for negotiators. China typically opposes countries working with Taiwan on a bilateral basis.

台湾是最积极的潜在成员之一，但台北的官员们表示，台湾的复杂国际地位一直是谈判代表的障碍。中国通常反对其他国家在双边基础上同台湾合作。

Charles Finny, a former New Zealand diplomat and now partner at Saunders Unsworth in Wellington, said Taiwan had shown it meets the necessary standard through its trade deals with Singapore and New Zealand.

Officials in Thailand have said they are looking again at joining. The Philippines has shown interest in the past but is focused on an alternative deal.

泰国官员们表示，他们正在再次研究加入事宜。菲律宾过去曾表现出兴趣，但目前聚焦于另一个贸易协定。

South Korea has been lukewarm about the pact but may feel pressure to sign up if its other trade deals stumble. “Since South Korea has been forced to renegotiate the Korea-US FTA, it may be opportune for South Korea to again consider joining the TPP, in order to be part of a key trade liberalisation initiative for the Asia-Pacific,” said Rajiv Biswas, chief economist for IHS Markit in Singapore. “With Sri Lanka having recently concluded a high quality FTA with Singapore that extended to services and investment, it may also be possible that Sri Lanka could consider joining the CPTPP in a second wave of new joiners,” he said.